


Reunions, Hangups and Mistakes

by theauthor2010



Category: Glee
Genre: Dalton Academy, Future Fic, M/M, Reunions, School Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-08
Updated: 2011-04-08
Packaged: 2017-10-17 19:03:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theauthor2010/pseuds/theauthor2010
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been five years since he's seen Blaine last, but Thad still has feelings for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunions, Hangups and Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ssecca01](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ssecca01).



> This fic is for http://ssecca01.livejournal.com/ who bid in the help_japan community at livejournal. I just wanted to take a minute to thank him for bidding and donating money to help the victims of the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami.

It was a Warbler’s reunion and everyone had something to say but the man of the hour was obviously Blaine Anderson. Blaine had been the shining star of the group and it was obvious by the proud way he stood in front of them and spoke that he was still a star in every right. He had resisted the rigid traditions of the Warblers, while all the while still confirming to them. He stood proud among the group and outside of it. He was brilliant. He still was brilliant.

It had been almost exactly five years since Thad had last seen Blaine and that aura of cool confidence was still there. He was afraid to say it but he was still madly in love with that aura and madly in love with Blaine.

“I think that I can speak for everyone in this room,” Blaine said, speaking clearly into the microphone in front of him. He smiled and Thad swore Blaine was staring right at him. He sunk a little bit lower into his seat, glancing down into the glass that he held in his hand. “In fact, I know that I can speak for everyone in this room when I say that the 2010-2011 Warblers were the strongest group of talented young men that I have known in my life. We went through a lot and came out brighter stars than we could ever imagine. We owe much of that personal and professional success to David Peterson, Wes Kim and Thad McGomery, our esteemed senior council. Thank you. Warblers, it’s fantastic to see you again.”

The room erupted into cheers and with Blaine’s speech over, the reunion turned into a party. Thad breathed deep, a little dizzy from Blaine simply saying his name. Okay, it was a party consisting of former Warblers and their dates, so it was kind of on the stiff side. Not that Thad could complain about that, considering the fact that his last three breakups were the result of his stiff, tense behavior. His last girlfriend had even asked him what century he came from. It wasn’t his fault that he was uncomfortable among people who weren’t raised in the same way he was. He knew that he should have felt right at home with the former Dalton boys, but no. He was not at home in any way, shape or form.

Blaine left the podium and began to chat with several of the other boys. Thad downed the rest of what was left in his glass, trying to force himself to look away from Blaine. Several of the other boys were there with their girlfriends and a couple of them were even there with boyfriends. He grumbled at his own ability to keep a solid, steady relationship and then looked over at Blaine, his heart pounding furiously. He walked towards Blaine then reversed his direction and headed back to the bar.

He ordered the strongest drink he could think of, not wanting to freak out when Blaine eventually came over to talk to him. He finished that quickly and then things, well, things felt a little bit better. He turned around just as the meeting he had dreaded began. Blaine was looking right at him and smiling with the sudden recognition. “Thad,” Blaine called out, approaching him. Oh god, he was smiling one of those smiles. Back when they went to Dalton together Blaine had only reserved those smiles for Kurt Hummel, whom, according to the sources Thad had pressed for information, had broken up with Blaine a long while ago. “It’s been years. How have you been doing?”

Thad swallowed and then forced the words to come out. Words were good things and generally of necessity when someone planned on having a conversation. “Blaine,” he said. “You look amazing.” Okay, those weren’t the words he intended to pop out of his mouth, but at least they were words. He flushed and tried his best to cover his tracks. “I mean, you don’t look any different then you did the last time that I saw you and that’s…amazing.”

“Oh,” Blaine said. He looked confused for a moment and then his eyes dropped down to the empty glass in Thad’s hand and he smiled a knowing sort of smile. He leaned back against the bar, eyes wandering and then returning back to Thad. “What have you been doing all of this time? I hope the speech was alright. I wanted to give you, Wes and David more time but David insisted that the speech was fine as is. I don’t even know why they wanted me to give a speech anyway, it would have been better if it was one of you guys…”

“Oh, the speech was good. They were right to give it to you, you’re insanely charismatic.” Thad mumbled his response awkwardly. Was he drunk or at least tipsy? He had never been drunk before, no; he wasn’t that kind of guy. He was respectable and restrained and “from another generation.” All he really knew was that he wanted to tell Blaine that he was beautiful, he adored him and he wanted to do horrible, dirty things right there in the room Dalton set aside for the reunion. God, okay, he was getting a little tipsy. He needed to avoid drinking anymore or maybe he needed to drink a lot more. He asked a question that was weighing on his mind to keep him from babbling out anything stupid.

“Do you um, know if Kurt is going to be here tonight?”

Blaine’s eyes darkened a little bit at that. He wondered briefly what kind of breakup they had. Thad had never remained in contact with any of his exes but for all he knew they were best buddies. “I don’t know,” Blaine admitted. “The last time I talked to Kurt was about two years ago. Oh, but I mean, there were no hard feelings between us when we broke up. It was amicable and all; we just kind of drifted apart and I haven’t seen him in a long time. It’d be kind of nice if he did come. I’d love to see what he was doing with his life. I’m sure whatever it is, it’s brilliant.”

Thad grumbled under his breath and rolled his eyes. If Blaine decided to serenade Kurt that night or something else equally nausea inducing, Thad was going to vomit and dig himself into a hole. The other Warblers had been very taken in by “Klaine” as they unofficially dubbed them but Thad was never impressed by them. More than anything, he was not impressed by Kurt Hummel. He was out-of-control, out-of-order and had this defiant arrogance about him that Thad could not understand at the time and he was sure he would be unable to understand now. He could never connect with the Warblers’ precious Kurt Hummel. He was not Thad’s kind of person, simply put.

There was also the fact that back then he had Blaine wrapped around his finger long before he had even realized that he did. Thad could remember like it was yesterday the way that Kurt’s eyes and heart had fallen when Blaine decided to serenade that stupid GAP employee and the way that Blaine’s stupid eyes had bugged out of his head the moment he had his magical realization that he loved Kurt. It was the stupidest thing that Thad ever had the misfortune to play witness to. Not that he was bitter or anything. Anyway, if he really wanted a chance with Blaine he knew that he could have done something about it long before Kurt even came around. It wasn’t Kurt’s fault that he had unrequited feelings for Blaine that were bubbling to the surface after five years of being absolutely fine without seeing his face.

“Thad?”

He blinked and looked up and into Blaine’s gorgeous brown eyes. He realized that Blaine had asked him something and blood rushed into his face. He did not like socially awkward situations and this was about as socially awkward as it got. “Sorry, what did you say?” he asked, clutching the glass in his hand so hard that he was afraid he would break it. He breathed in to calm himself down.

“I asked if you’ve been any luckier in love than I have,” Blaine said wistfully, his eyes a little bit mournful. Why was he talking about love now? That was simply not acceptable. “I think that when you graduated you were dating some girl named…uh, Christine, I believe.”

Thad shook his head from side to side as Blaine reminded him of his first girlfriend Christine. She had been a spoiled brat from Dalton’s sister school and had possessed a quick temper and a lack of class. She had tested him, pressed him to his limits and he was thankful that they had gone to colleges a thousand miles apart and had decided not to pursue the relationship any further.

“Oh Blaine, don’t remind me of her,” he said, shaking off the memories of his first crazy ex. “As for an answer to your question, I am most definitely not lucky in terms of the romantic relationships I’ve pursued. I’ve had several partners in the last five years but nothing has progressed into the long term.”

Blaine made a strange face at him. For a moment, Thad wondered if he had said something of offense to Blaine, but he quickly learned this was not the case when Blaine spoke up. “Everyone else that I know would say: I had a couple of girlfriends and they didn’t work out. Everyone except you, Thad, I missed being around you guys.”

“Not just girlfriends,” he said, ignoring the jab at his speech patterns. He was too used to them being made fun of, anyway. He blushed a little as he realized he had revealed his sexuality to Blaine, but then again, he had boyfriends before, therefore it should have no longer mattered to him. His bisexuality was something that he was fully aware of, had come to terms with, and yet it was not something he would blurt out if he wasn’t feeling a little tipsy. He gave Blaine a small smile, wondering if Blaine would pay more attention to him now that he knew he liked boys. That was highly unlikely but at least they both played for the same team, if sports references were to be used. “I’ve had boyfriends too in the past.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” Blaine said quickly, not even flinching at his confession of bisexuality. “I guess the time will come when we find that someone. It worked for people like Wes and Nick, from what I caught walking around and talking to people. Wes and Diana are even engaged.”

“Seriously?” he asked. Thad knew that he was uptight and could kind of be a jerk but Wes was the king of anal-retentive control freaks. How was he involved with a beautiful woman and actually engaged to her? It was so unfair and only fueled the bitter-drunk attitude that was building in him. “That’s great to hear. I know that Wes has been with her for a really long time.”

“Hey, if Wes can get a gorgeous fiancé…” Blaine teased and oh god, he was winking.

Thad ordered another drink. The bartender handed it over and then he turned back to Blaine. Oh thank god, he was gone, mingling with someone else, Thad presumed. He took a long drink and did some mingling of his own. He walked over to where David was standing, always one to use David as a crutch when he felt socially awkward and confused. David didn’t mind in high school and he didn’t seem to mind now. He was always the most socially competent of the senior Warbler council when they were in high school, too.

“Hey,” David said, giving Thad a small smile. David was the one Warbler that Thad had remained in contact with over the past five years. They had actually remained pretty good friends and involved in each other’s lives post graduation. “I saw you talking to Blaine. I heard he’s doing pretty well for himself these days. Did you know that he’s been single for a couple of years?”

“I uh, yeah I heard that,” Thad said, wondering why David was telling him this. It wasn’t supposed to matter to him that Blaine Anderson was single and has handsome and charming as ever. It wasn’t supposed to matter to him that Kurt Hummel was nowhere in sight and he had consumed enough alcohol to feel confident enough to charm the socks off of Mr. Dapper himself. It wasn’t supposed to matter that he was feeling as though he had to charm Blaine. “Why are you telling me this?”

The other man looked at him, rolled his eyes and then walked into the hall, nodding his head to the side for Thad to follow. That followed him, curious as to what David was getting at. When they stopped in the middle of the hallway, David gave him a warm and friendly smile. “Thad McGomery, you’re twenty-three years old. Isn’t it about time to stop pretending that you’re not tragically in love with Blaine?”

He stopped and stared. How did David know that?

“I am not in love with Blaine. I haven’t even spoken to the man in five years, David.”

“Well fine,” David conceded, “you’re not in love with him currently, but you were, Thad. You made that more than obvious to us five years ago and it’s slipped in our conversations from time to time even if you haven’t spoken to the man in five years, using your own words.” David had his hands on his sides and was staring at Thad in a way that was so not David. It was more out-of-control-diva than it was David; it was then that Thad realized that he too had been drinking a considerable amount of alcohol and wasn’t his usual self. He was a bit cockier and had a bit more swagger than Thad could remember him ever having. He also knew the secret that Thad was concealing.

“You can’t prove that.”

“I have a photographic memory,” David said in a smart-alec haughty tone that sounded ten years too young for him. Thad almost expected him to stick his tongue out. “I remember every snide comment that you made in regards to Kurt and every time lust-filled teenage girl slipped into your usual stuffy persona. When Kurt auditioned for his first solo, you said, and I quote ‘Blaine’s not going to go for a Broadway-diva-drama-queen, no way. That kid is way out of his league’ When Kurt and Blaine finally became an item, you said, ‘if I had known all it took was to sing about a dead bird…’ and then trailed off looking like some lovesick puppy dog. The list goes on and on Thad. You’ve been more than obvious with your feelings for Blaine.”

“Okay, I had a thing for Blaine in high school. If you were so aware of it, why is this the first time that I’m hearing these things, David?”

David smiled serenely, nodding but not immediately answering his question. “Thad, reunions are a pretty good time to take chances you didn’t take in high school, right? I didn’t give you very good advice in high school but here it is today. Go for it. What on earth is there to stop you tonight? Blaine’s single, you’re single and the elements are working in your favor…”

It was the moment that David used the word elements that Thad noticed a flash of gold and style that could not belong to anyone else. He looked over the other boy’s shoulders and groaned helplessly. “I can think of one thing that just might turn the elements against me, Peterson.” He was pretty sure that only one former Warbler would dress like that. He walked to the end of the hallway and peered inside, confirming his suspicions. Kurt Hummel stood in the entranceway to the room wearing a black button up coat and a scarf around his neck in Dalton colors. He had on a gold belt and sexy tight pants that Blaine would not be able to resist, not even if he was the strongest man alive.

“That might be a little problem,” David agreed, nodding. “Rumor has it that Kurt still holds a flame for Blaine after all of their time apart. God, he hasn’t changed one bit, not in the five years since we last saw him. I think that it’s time you take action now, McGomery, or you’re never going to know what might have been, yet again. Go for it, now. Go find Blaine, dude, come on.”

“Thanks for the encouragement, Mr. Photographic Memory,” Thad muttered, heading back over to the bar, keeping an eye out for Blaine. He grabbed yet another drink before he caught a glimpse of the object of his affection, chatting it up with Jeff and some pretty girl he had arrived with. He waited for Jeff to walk away and then approached Blaine. It was now or never. He had to do this or else stupid Kurt Hummel was going to take everything away from him yet again. Okay, Thad was being dramatic. He didn’t know how Kurt and Blaine had ended and he didn’t know if Blaine would reciprocate the alleged flame that Kurt had for him, but still, he had to do this or he would never have the confidence.

Blaine looked at him with a quirked eyebrow. “Did you meet Jeff’s girlfriend?” he asked conversationally. “She’s a very interesting young woman.”

“No, I didn’t. I’ll do that later.”

“Are you alright, Thad?” Blaine asked, his eyes sparkling. For a minute, Thad wondered if Blaine even knew what he was putting his former friend and mentor through. Blaine had this mischievous quality to him that sparkled and teased, regardless of the situation and he always was a little bit oblivious. Thad would have believed that adulthood could change that. “You look a little bit flustered. I would slow down at the bar if I was you. It seems like you may have had a little bit too much.”

“I…what have you been doing since I saw you last Blaine?” he asked conversationally, trying to find an in. There was probably a better way to segue into half-decade old infatuations than just blurting out his feelings. “I heard from some of the boys who were in your year that you ended up going to college in California; is that right?” Somehow, somewhere, this conversation could lead into talking about the things he had long ago killed and buried. He could be as smooth as the next guy.

“I went to UCLA,” Blaine confirmed. “It was a very nice experience. I got my BA last year and am in the process of a MA in music. I have a job lined up after graduation to teach music at a private Academy in the next year. Everything is going very well in my life Thad. What about you?”

It was so much like what he predicted would become of Blaine. He was always destined for greatness, though very likely not the rock star level of admiration that he had achieved in high school. “That’s great,” he said. “I did well for myself too, I guess. I went to school in New York, uh, majored in business. I’m now in between jobs but I’m helping my uncle with his business, that’s been going well.”

“Blaine!”

Oh god. Kurt Hummel approached with a fabulous saunter, giving Blaine his cheesiest grin ever. The little creep didn’t even care that Blaine was busy talking to someone else. Kurt rushed over and wrapped his arms around Blaine in a tight hug. He let him go and then beamed at him; barely even registering that Thad was standing there. Thad crossed his arms and waited for some much due acknowledgement.

“Blaine,” he said. “Oh god, Blaine I missed you so much. It’s been forever since I last talked to you. We have got to catch up on absolutely everything.”

Blaine shook his head a little, obviously overwhelmed by Kurt’s bubbling enthusiasm. He was overwhelmed; Thad was just annoyed. “I can’t believe that I haven’t talked to you in like almost two years Kurt,” Blaine said politely enthusiastic. “Did you finish school? You were a design major weren’t you?”

Kurt nodded excitedly. “I graduated this year,” he said. “I have a great internship and a lot of ins in the major fashion design corporations in New York. It’s going great so far. I couldn’t really ask for much more. What about you Blaine? I’m sort of surprised that I haven’t seen your name in lights yet.”

Thad rolled his eyes, willing himself not to remind the boy that he was still standing there and that Kurt had interrupted him rather rudely. He coughed but the cough went ignored.

Blaine answered Kurt’s questions easily with that same easy-going smile that he gave everyone. “I finished up at UCLA and am almost done getting my MA in music. I am going to be teaching at a private college before long. I have worked some things out with a friend of my fathers. I am very excited for it.”

“Oh that’s great. I think that you’d be a great teacher. You were always such a great mentor to me in high school.”

Thad tried his best not to role his eyes or gag. He tapped his foot patiently while the two babbled, nearly walking away when Blaine asked if Kurt was seeing anyone. Kurt’s eyes got a little wide and he shook his head. “No, unfortunately,” the boy said. “I just got out of a relationship that wasn’t very good for either of us. I have to admit Blaine; I think that all my boyfriends paled in comparison to the first one.”

Both boys laughed like that was the most hilarious thing they ever heard. Blaine tapped Kurt on the shoulder, shaking his head and smiling through his laughter. Thad was tired of playing third wheel, his only child showing, and decided to speak up. “Kurt,” he said. “It’s so good to see you again. You work out in New York? I was there for a very brief time but now I live here while I’m assisting my uncle manage his business. Are you enjoying being back in Ohio at all? I know it’s not the glitz and glamour that you’re probably used to by now.”

Kurt blinked. He really did just realize that Thad was there. “Oh Thad, hi,” he said, smiling. “I guess it’s alright. I really enjoyed going home and seeing all the family that are still living in this area and I wouldn’t pass up a Warbler reunion for the world, but I’m glad to be going back home to New York after this.”

Thad would be glad for him to leave too. He knew he was being bitter but seriously.

“Did you ever lighten up?” Kurt asked, winking. “I swear, sometimes you terrified me with the talk that sounded like it came out of a Seventeenth Century British novel. It sort of sounds like you cut that out.”

Now, he was offended. It reminded him too much of being told by his exes that he sounded like he came out of another generation. He frowned heavily and opened his mouth to speak, but found no words at first. After another moment, he calmly and evenly said, “Well things change Kurt. You know, Jeff was always a big fan of yours and he has to leave early tonight. Blaine was talking to him awhile ago. You should go catch him before he and his girlfriend have to leave.”

Kurt frowned, looked at Blaine and then nodded. “I’ll talk to you in a few Blaine,” he said evenly and then walked off.

“Jeff never said anything about leaving early.”

“I know,” Thad said dryly, cutting Blaine off before the other man could question his motives. “What ever happened between you and Kurt anyway? I mean, unless it’s too private. Sorry ‘m a little drunk. I just am kind of curious now that he’s sufficiently gotten on my nerves.”

Blaine chuckled, patting Thad on the back and walking him over towards the lounge where several of the boys were sitting. Blaine sat down on the sofa there and Thad sat down at his side. “Kurt and I were never compatible,” he said, shaking his head. “Well, that’s not accurate. We were semi-compatible. He had sides of me that he liked and I had sides of him that I liked but we could never meet each other completely in the middle. His unintentional bitchiness would be one of the things that I could never stand. I’m sorry about that just now.”

“Eh it’s no big deal. Nothing I haven’t heard from past friends, partners, everyone. I’m a stuffy bastard.”

“You are not,” Blaine said and then he was touching Thad’s shoulder and oh god, he was touching him. “Anyway, Kurt and I fought and fought until we went our separate ways to preserve our friendship. We kept hanging out and talking until he transferred to a new school and then things just…fizzled. I…well, I should have paid attention to my pre-Kurt attractions and maybe that disaster wouldn’t happen.”

“Oh, GAP guy?” Thad asked, chuckling.

“No, no, definitely not that. Oh god, Thad, I forgot all about that. Don’t remind me. How humiliating. I serenaded a closeted guy at his place of work with a song about sex. I failed so badly it was painful.”

“It did kind of hurt,” Thad admitted. “I saw disaster coming from a mile away with that one.”

Blaine chuckled but then slowly shook his head. “I didn’t mean Jeremiah though,” he said quickly. “I meant the fact that my sophomore year I had a huge crush on you. I thought it was unrequited though. I had no idea that you were bisexual though and you seemed way out of my league, especially when you became one of my esteemed council members.”

Wait, wait there was no way that his unrequited crush on Blaine could have been requited the whole time. Tears burned the corners of Thad's eyes and he exhaled, relieved and yet confused. He was also angry. If he had done something about his crush, who was to say that he wouldn't be with Blaine today. "Blaine, I can't believe it," he whispered, inhaling and exhaling sharply. "All this time you...and I ..."

"I didn't mean to freak you out Thad," Blaine said dismissively, waving his hand. Thad realized a moment later that Blaine had completely misread Thad's spaz attack. "It was an old crush and it was like six years ago. It has absolutely no reflection on me now. I'm sorry for just blurting that out. As you can see, I still do that."

"I - no I always was really interested in you Blaine. I just can't believe that we never got a chance to like explore it because I, I was insecure and confused."

"You liked me?" Blaine asked. "You also could have fooled me on the condfidence thing. You're Thad. You always seemed so confident."

"You, Blaine, were like the star of the group. You had this angelic voice and you enraptured the soul of everyone you came near. You drove me into obsessively weaving these stories in my head about being closer to you. You weilded so much power over..."

"You really do speak like you're from a seventeenth century novel," Blaine chided. "I do find that amazingly charming. You always had yourself under control and ugh, memories."

"I wish I'd done something about it Blaine," he admitted. "You're right though, I always detested letting things get out of my control and you always seemed so beyond my control."

"Dear Thadius," Blaine declared, his voice slightly mocking but friendly. "I am under the impression that you need to lose control, at least once in awhile."

Thad couldn't help smile at the proclamation. "I've heard that once or twice," he admitted. "I've sort of neglected to listen to that advice, however."

"Shame."

Blaine smirked, tilting his head to the side with a cocky shrug. He was just so damned gorgeous.

Trying to rely on his liquid confidence, Thad lunged forward and pressed his lips to Blaine's. He moaned softly at the drag of their lips and the pleasure that surged through him. He gasped loudly. It was perfect. Blaine moved forward and curled his fingers around Thad's jacket, pulling roughly. He was a little drunk and a little awkward but he had honestly never felt so smooth, reaching behind Blaine and drawing him closer.

"Woah," Blaine said, licking his own bottom lip and staring at Thad desperately. "That was quite a kiss. Can we...um, repeat that?"

More than happy to oblige Blaine's request, Thad leaned over and pressed his lips to Blaine's opening his mouth a little, making it deeper. He cupped a hand around Blaine's cheek, moaning as his fingers brushed over the light stubble there. Blaine gasped heavily. Chattering filled the air outside of their bubble but Thad was uninterested. He had Blaine Anderson mining from a kiss after five years.

A whistle did pop the bubble, just a little. He hesitantly pulled back to look to his side. He saw David in the background, applauding silently. A couple of the younger Warblers who had been there during his senior year were gaping, not sure what to take of the spectacle. Thad noticed with a bright smile that Kurt was absolutely glowering like his ex of years earlier was supposed to be free for the taking.

“Would you all mind your own business?” Blaine asked, heading back to Thad’s lips for more.

He had no complaints whatsoever about this.


End file.
